By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-880657.mp3
Utica, NY – It's a step-by-step process: officials trying to bring back vibrancy to a Central New York City after years of neglect. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
Like many of the old Northeastern industrial cities, Utica endured decades of downtown decay. The city is on the road to getting its luster back: officials say they've been laying the groundwork for a revitalization which is just beginning to blossom. Angelo Roefaro, Mayor David Roefaro's spokesperson, says that the Mayor's two years in office have been as much about creating a groundwork for growth as actual projects. To date, he says the downtown area has been spruced up, jobs have been created there and there's plenty of potential.
Roefaro says there's also a movement to establish an "arts district" in the Oneida Square area and create an "access point" downtown for the region's colleges where classes can be taught.
Observers attribute many of Utica's deficiencies to lack of a solid "master plan" - some believe that Revitalization efforts downtown have a ways to go. Frank Elias, president of the Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce, anticipates positive things will continue to happen downtown, and in time it will regain its vibrancy.
Like beauty, progress is in the eye of the beholder. The Roefaro administration answers criticism with a simple message : "This is how you build a city... block by block."